People lift weights for many reasons, to increase health, to lose weight, to look better, to get stronger or maybe to increase muscle mass.  If I want to get better at tennis I am not going to swing a golf club.

The same is true for weight lifting, if my number one goal is to increase my stamina I am not going to workout the same way a bodybuilder does. 

How you workout plays an important role in the results you get.

The number one shortcut for building muscle relates directly to the amount of weight you are lifting.  You must lift enough weight to impose a demand on the body.  (The SAID Principle specific adaptations to imposed demands).  If you are not lifting enough weight to challenge yourself or you are keeping the same weight (or close to it) on the bar for 3 weeks you are not going to build muscle.

You must place a demand on the body at all times for the body to change.  If building muscle (mass) is your primary goal.  Increase your intensity (the amount of weight you lift) and stick with the 8-12 rep range 3-4 sets.  Remember, you are not going for a metabolic effect here so you will want to take your rest breaks in between each set, 2-3 minutes.

Good luck building that muscle!

Stay Motivated,

Karen

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As promised here is the video for the Advanced Metabolic Workout using the TRX.  In the video to save time I only showed the right leg, remember you need to work both sides of the body.  Do the right and left leg back to back for each exercise.  If you want your pulls and pushes to be harder go more parallel to the ground.

In my very first rep of the pulls I showed you an example of an incorrect rep.  I let me abs go and in turn my back sagged and dropped.  You really have to hold your abs tight and keep your back straight.  Click on the link above if you need to see the parameters for the workout again.

If you feel like the TRX is something you may want to purchase in the future click on the picture below to read up on the product or purchase.

Stay Motivated,

Karen

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I used an 18 inch bench for my bench jumps, if you don't have something high enough to jump on that is stable you can jump over things.  Pillows are great for jumping over, if you miss you have a soft landing and if you get tripped up jumping over, the pillows will usually make it so you do not fall down.

You will want to do this workout for 45 seconds on and 20 seconds off.  Repeat for 4 circuits and take a 1 minute break at the end of each round.  Change the parameters around a little bit if this workout is to hard or to easy.

The advanced level workout video will be in my next post.

Stay Motivated,

Karen

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Do you ever just do a workout for fun?  Forget the log, put away the program and set the timer for 25 minutes of pure fun.  Do your favorite exercises, pick something new, exercise with a friend it does not matter what it is just work hard and enjoy it.

Bottom Line – Just have fun!

Total Body Transformation Workout - Day 7 you will do 14 minutes of aerobic activity your choice.  Foam roll the quads and the upper back.

Day 8 take a day off you earned it.

Day 9 you will do strength A 3×12 and then foam roll the 3 body parts that are most needed.

Stay Motivated,

Karen

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Generally I do not send you out to other websites.  You have so little time in the day to begin with that I'm lucky you even have time to read my blog much less go to a bunch of the other places I could send you. 

However today I am going to break that general rule of thumb.  I found a website that will give you a new fitness tip everyday for the entire month of January, pretty cool huh?  I think everyone needs a little bit of extra motivation once in a while.  Bookmark it and visit as often as necessary throughout the month.

Total Body Transformation Workout – I am going to be pretty busy over the next couple of days so I am going to give you days 4, 5 and 6 just in case I do not get the blog posts written.

Day 4 you will stretch the calves, chest and piriformis

Day 5 you will do 2×15 strength B workout and then foam roll the glutes, TFL and hamstrings

• Pushup
• Alternating lunge
• Dumbbell shoulder press
• Dumbbell row
• Stability ball leg curl

Day 6 you will do an aerobic activity of your choice for 14 minutes and then do the shoulder sleeper stretch, spiderman stretch and the psoas stretch

Stay Motivated,

Karen

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A few years after I had my daughter I decided I really wanted to drop the weight, even though I was already at a healthy weight, I got down to about as low a body fat percentage as was healthy for a female.  Mentally I felt great I loved the way I looked and I loved being able to drop down my clothes size.  There was only one problem, physically I felt awful.  I was definitely sick more often, I always felt weak and it just seemed like my body could not survive at that body fat.  Naturally I put some of the weight (in fat) back on my body.  I choose to feel good.

I have said it before it is important to understand your goals and where you ultimately want to be.  Take some time and think about how you feel.  Maybe you have already achieved your goal and do not even know it yet.  As for goals we have started a new year, what better time to sit and get them written.  Don't write a temporary resolution instead create permanent goals you will follow through with.

Life is too short to worry all the time, think about how you feel and actually give yourself the credit you deserve.

Total Body Transformation Workout – today is day 3 of the Beginner level you will do 14 minutes of aerobic work followed by stretching the quads and hamstrings.

Stay Motivated,

Karen

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I think by now we all know the profound benefits of exercise.  So let me ask you this, what is more important your car or your health?  I hear it all too often, "I do not have time to exercise".  I personally (in most cases) do not think it is a matter of time rather a matter priorities.

If you are not exercising on a regular basis, I challenge you to make it happen in 2009.  There are so many tools out there to help you.  You can do it!

Total Body Transformation Workout – today you will do the Strength B routine.  If you do not remember it you can check back in the older post.  Do 1-2 sets of 20 reps.  If this is your second week you should be close to doing both sets.

Stay Motivated,

Karen

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I have listed a few of the sides we add on the to our salad that take it from being a healthy weight loss food to just another meal.

• croutons
• meat
• cheese
• heavy on the dressing
• coleslaw or other mayonnaise based sides
• bacon
• dried fruit
• nuts
• olives
• sunflower and other seeds

Now some of my suggestions are healthy foods, but if you are using a salad to bring down your calorie counts for the day you have to stay away from add ons.

Instead top your salad greens off with some of these choices:

• spritzer bottle with homemade vinegar and lemon juice salad dressing
• radishes
• cucumber
• carrots
• peppers all varieties
• grape tomatoes
• grilled chicken chunks

Salads at some of the more popular restaurants are also very deceiving.  A lot of times they do not give you the nutritional information unless you ask for it.  When it comes to salad you better ask.  They can be anywhere from 700 to 1400 calories per serving, that's right per serving.  And sometimes the salad has 2-3 servings.  You could have all of your calories for 3 days total if you eat that whole thing.

Next time you decide to lose some weight, remember when you reach for the salad keep it healthy.

Total Body Transformation Workout – today you are going to do 12 minutes of aerobic activity.  Depending on how hard you workout you may need a warm up and cool down.

Stay Motivated,

Karen

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Do you ever find yourself running to the refrigerator every night a couple hours after dinner?  Or worse yet are you so hungry by dinner time that you could eat the entire house and the yard thrown in on top?  If you answered yes to either of these questions don't give up there is an answer.

There could be 1of 2 problems.  First you are not taken in enough calories during the day.  Your body is smart, it is not going to let you starve.  If you are not taken in enough calories you are going to have cravings. 

 Secondly if that is not the problem and you are still starving at dinner time or have bothersome nightly cravings you are not spreading your calories out during the day adequately.  Try eating 5 to 6 smaller meals during the day instead of 3 or 4 larger ones.

Total Body Transformation Workout – today you are going to foam roll your glutes, TFL and the angel.

Stay Motivated,

Karen

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• Push ups
• Body weight squats
• Lunges
• Mountain climbers
• Body thrusters
• Single leg squats
• Jumping jacks
• Jog in place
• Abdominal exercises
• Bridges
• Planks

I have given you a pretty long list.  Pick 7 or 8 and go through a circuit.  Pick 1 or 2 and alternate on/off cycles.  The choices are endless.

Another option for travel workouts with equipment is using an exercise band.  They fold up and can be taken anywhere.  Check the site and see for yourself.

Total Body Transformation Workout – For your workout today you are going to use a foam roller and roll the lats and do the angel (chest stretch).  Spend about 5 minutes on each part.  If you do not have access to a roller just stretch the lats and the chest.

Make sure if you are stretching; you go through about a 10 minute warm up.  Tomorrow take the day off.

Stay Motivated,

Karen

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